Refrigerated display cabinet

ABSTRACT

Refrigerated display cabinet ( 1 ), of the type comprising a display area ( 2 ) for the food products ( 3 ), comprising supports ( 4 ) and/or shelves ( 5 ) and which may comprise a full or partial cover ( 6 ), cleaning liquid sprayers ( 7 ), liquid collection means and cooling means associated with means for generating a circulating air flow ( 11 ) through said cooling means and the display area ( 2 ), where the circulating flow-generating means comprise reversible means.

This application claims the benefit of, and priority to Spanish PatentApplication Number 201431919 filed on Dec. 23, 2014 entitled,“REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CABINET”, the content of which is relied upon andincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

DESCRIPTION

1. Object of the Invention

The present invention relates to a refrigerated display cabinet havingcharacteristics for improving efficiency, consumption and thetemperature gradients in its interior and for preserving the quality ofthe food during chilling and defrost periods.

2. Background of the Invention

Three types of refrigerated display cabinets are currently known in thestate of the art: contact refrigeration display cabinets, staticrefrigeration display cabinets and forced air refrigeration displaycabinets. In the first type, contact refrigeration display cabinets, theproduct displayed in the display area is cooled exclusively byconduction, on being physically in contact with a metallic base cooledby a coil, generally made of copper, extending along its inner face incontact therewith. This system is practically obsolete, since it onlypartially cools the products disposed on the bottom tray and does notcool the products that are not in contact with this display area.Another type comprises static refrigerated display cabinets, whichgenerally have a construction morphology were the cold-producing elementis an evaporator having a copper radiator and aluminium fins with cubicmorphology, disposed on the upper rear part of the tray where the foodproducts are displayed—an area usually occupied by the display cabinetoperator—and transfers said cold through a grille. The drawback of thesetypes of display cabinets is that, in general, due to their constructionformat, the product displayed covers these outlet holes and prevents theoptimum distribution of cold throughout the display surface, generatingtemperature differences of more than 10° C. between the area nearest andfarthest from the evaporator, said difference being greater duringscheduled stops to defrost the evaporator. These temperature differencesreduce the useful life of the food products displayed, ultimately givingrise to economic losses.

In order to minimise these problems, the third type of display cabinetswere built: forced air refrigerated display cabinets. In this type ofdisplay cabinet, which has a similar configuration to the foregoing andthe same evaporator with cubic morphology, means were added to generatea circulating air flow—fans—through the evaporator and the food productdisplay area, enveloping it, said air flow having the purpose ofequating the temperatures at the front and rear of the display area.However, these refrigerated display cabinets, while reducing thetemperature gradient to a margin of between five and eight degreescentigrade, do not satisfactorily equate the temperatures, since thecold air emitted is heated as it flows towards the absorption areawhich, on reaching the collection area, does not maintain the product atthe temperature desired by the operator, a problem that worsens duringscheduled defrost periods.

Some or all of these display cabinets may incorporate optional internalirrigation and cleaning systems, which are configured and scheduledsolely for internal cleaning purposes.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The refrigerated display cabinet of the invention remediates thetechnical problem raised. The display cabinet in question is of theforced air type, comprising a food product display area wheresupplementary supports and/or shelves may be disposed, and the displayarea of which may incorporate is full or partial cover, usuallytransparent, and may optionally comprise liquid sprayers coupled to thecorresponding internal cleaning network, means for collecting theliquids that drip from the food products and/or spray nozzles, andcooling means associated with means for generating a circulating airflow through said cooling means that ensure an optimal and homogeneoustemperature in the display area.

In accordance with the invention, the circulating air flow comprisesreversible means, such that the flow may circulate in oppositedirections and the coldest air coming directly from the cooling meansdoes not always flow out from the same side nor always returns throughthe same side of the display area, favouring the generation oftemperature gradients, but rather the direction of flow is reversed bydetection and/or scheduling thereof, so that the coldest air flows outof the side where a higher temperature is envisaged or detected,returning in turn through the opposite side, thereby homogenising thetemperatures throughout the display area and directly achieving betterpreservation of the products displayed.

In addition, the cooling means may be double and may functionindependently, for example two evaporators, each connected to adifferent compressor unit in the event of using cooling gas compressionand evaporation circuits. This allows independent defrosting of the twoevaporators, due to which at least one would always be operational,preventing the temperature of the products from rising and minimisingtemperature fluctuations during defrost cycles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a partial perspective view of the display cabinet of theinvention, wherein the products appear displayed on shelves;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the display cabinet of the invention shownin FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 shows a side view of a variant of the display cabinet of theinvention wherein the products appear displayed on a support in thebackground.

DESCRIPTION OF A PRACTICAL EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The refrigerated display cabinet (1) of the invention is of the typecomprising a display area (2) where the food products (3) are displayed,which may comprise a horizontal support (4) as shown in FIG. 3 and/orshelves (5) as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, on which to arrange said products(3). Said display area (2) may comprise a full or partial cover (6),usually transparent, liquid sprayers (7) coupled to the correspondingcleaning network, liquid collection means with drains (9) for drainingthe liquids that drip from the products (3) and/or spray nozzles (7), inaddition to cooling means associated with means for generating acirculating air flow (11) through said cooling means and the displayarea (2).

With this general configuration and in accordance with the invention,the means for generating a circulating flow comprise reversible means,so that the circulating air flow (11) may circulate in oppositedirections, compensating the unfavourable gradients produced when thecirculating flow (11) is always in the same direction. The reversal ofthe circulating flow (11) is governed by the corresponding controller,not shown, associated with temperature sensors, not shown either,distributed throughout the display area (2) and/or time bases of thecontroller itself. FIGS. 2 and 3 show the flow circulating (11) in bothdirections.

The reversible means comprise, at least, two impellers (14, 14 a) thatalternatively impel the flows in opposite directions disposed in thedisplay area (2), so that the circulating flow (11) flows out or inalternatively through said openings (16) in accordance with theirspecific direction of flow. One of the two options would be selected andeven combinations of the two options if deemed necessary. In eithercase, each impeller may have various fans and/or speed controllers toprecisely adjust the necessary flow.

Furthermore, the cooling means comprise, at least, two cooling elements(10, 10 a) that operate independently. This makes it possible toindependently defrost each cooling element, so that there will always beone cooling element producing cold and preventing the temperature of theproducts from rising. This will also make it possible to extend theduration of the defrost cycles, as the products are not at risk (3), andtherefore ensure more effective defrosting, which will result in anincrease in efficiency and reduction in consumption, using the sprayers(7) for dragout during defrosting. The cooling elements (10, 10 a)typically comprise the evaporators of a compressor cooler unit and theiroperation is also governed by the controller. An unexpected additionaladvantage resulting from the arrangement of the two independent coolingelements (10, 10 a) is that they may have less production capacity,reducing their height to make more room for the display area (2),compared to display cabinets having a single cooling element.

Said cooling elements (10, 10 a) are disposed on the liquid collectionmeans, which comprise two inclined collectors (8, 8 a) disposed at thebottom underneath the supports (4) and/or shelves (5). These inclinedcollectors (8, 8 a) and said supports (4) and/or shelves (5) areconnected to the corresponding drains (9). The sprayers (7) and coolingelements (10, 10 a) are disposed between these inclined collectors (8, 8a) and said supports (4) and/or shelves (5), while the openings (16) aredisposed at the ends of said supports (4) and/or shelves (5). Thecooling elements (10, 10 a) preferably comprise upright trapezoidal fins(17), as shown in the figures, for resting levelly on the collectors (8,8 a). In this document, ‘resting levelly’ is understood to mean that theupper parts of the fins (17) are substantially coplanar and horizontal,whereon the supports (4) and/or shelves (5) may rest fully or partially,which will also give rise to the transmission of cold directly byconduction via the supports (4) and/or shelves (5) towards the displayarea (2).

Having sufficiently described the nature of the invention and the mannerin which to put it into practice, it is hereby stated that theindications mentioned above and represented in the attached drawings aresusceptible to changes in detail, provided that they do not alter thebasic principle.

1. Refrigerated display cabinet (1), of the type comprising a displayarea (2) for the food products (3), which comprises a full or partialcover (6) that may comprise cleaning liquid sprayers (7), liquidcollection means and cooling means associated with means for generatinga circulating air flow (11) through said cooling means and the displayarea (2), characterised in that the circulating flow-generating means(11) comprise reversible means.
 2. Refrigerated display cabinet (1),according to claim 1, characterised in that the reversible meanscomprise, at least, two impellers (14, 14 a) that alternatively impelthe flow in opposite directions associated with corresponding opposingend openings (16) disposed in the display area (2).
 3. Refrigerateddisplay cabinet (1), according to claim 1, characterised in that thereversible means comprise, at least, a reversible direction impellerassociated with corresponding opposing end openings (16) disposed in thedisplay area (2).
 4. Refrigerated display cabinet (1), according to anyof claims 2, characterised in that each impeller (14, 14 a) comprises,at least, one fan.
 5. Refrigerated display cabinet (1), according toclaim 2, characterised in that the impellers (14, 14 a) comprise speedcontrollers.
 6. Refrigerated display cabinet (1), according to claim 1,characterised in that the cooling means comprise, at least, two coolingelements (10, 10 a) that function independently.
 7. Refrigerated displaycabinet (1), according to claim 6, characterised in that the liquidcollection means comprise two inclined collectors (8, 8 a) connected todrains (9) disposed underneath the supports (4) and/or shelves (5),wherein the sprayers (7) and cooling elements (10, 10 a) are disposedbetween said inclined collectors (8, 8 a) and said supports (4) and/orshelves (5), wherein the openings (16) are disposed on the ends of saidsupports (4) and/or shelves (5).
 8. Refrigerated display cabinet (1),according to claim 7, characterised in that the cooling elements (10, 10a) comprise upright trapezoidal fins (17) resting levelly on theinclined collectors (8, 8 a) of the container (2),
 9. Refrigerateddisplay cabinet (1), according to claim 8, characterised in that thesupports (4) and/or shelves (5) fully or partially rest on the fins (17)of the cooling elements (10, 10 a).
 10. Refrigerated display cabinet(1), according to any of claims 3, characterised in that each impeller(14, 14 a) comprises, at least, one fan.
 11. Refrigerated displaycabinet (1), according to claim 3, characterised in that the impellers(14, 14 a) comprise speed controllers.